Long Weekend Recap! July 4
Well for the most part it was a beauty long weekend for fishing!
On Lake Ontario good Salmon continues across the lake. Most ports reporting fair to excellent numbers of fish being caught. A few keys to increasing the number of fish you will catch.
1) Watching the water temperature.
If it's cold on the surface, you will likely mark less on the sonar as they will be higher in the column as the thermocline will be higher & less defined. If it's much warmer on the surface or even "homongenized" (warm from top to bottom) you will need to go out & fish deeper usually.
BUT these are just general guidelines.. sometimes you will catch fish in really warm water & also get them in down deep in the ice water!
2) Current.
Strong subsurface current will alter your presentation. Watching the angle of your rigger cables, diver lines and how your planer boards track are keys. If you are marking fish and others around you are catching, but your not, its probably not the bait you need to change, but you likely then need to change your speed or direction to have a better "pull". Having a down speed/temp system like a Fish Hawk or Depth Raider can help you monitor your speed & watch for temp breaks. Often making a difference in catching some fish and catching MORE fish
Some hot baits for the salmon lately have been:
Flasher/Fly
A-TOM-MIK Stud fly & UV Two Face Spin Doctor
Ultra Green Glow Fly & Marv's Big Fatty Pro Troll 8"
Bam Fly & Salmon Candy 8" Flasher
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 Herring rigs
ITO area 51 Hulk & White Glow Two Face 11" Flasher
A-TOM-MIK Stud & UV Two Face or UV Glow Frog 10" Spin Doctor
A-TOM-MIKÂ white UV glow & Pro Troll 11' Fish'n Chip
Dreamweaver UV Gasline & Chatreuse Glow Hotspot 11"Â
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Spoons
Mag Moonshine Beefeater glow
Stingray Lance's 2 Face UV
Salmon Candy Hulk NBK UV
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The Great Ontario Salmon Derby kicked off this weekend & the Silver Salmon Challenge is now in the 3rd week. Good luck to everyone competing, we are a weigh-in station for both.Â
Over on Erie , the walleye fishing continues to get better. Pockets of fish being caught between 60-70 feet from For Erie to Nanticoke. Fish are pretty high now, so small jets, 0 size divers , 1oz snap weights & short lead cores with worm harnesses are working well. Some fish coming on Crankbaits too. Lots of Rainbows currently being caught off Nanticoke too.
Smallmouth Bas fishing continues to be good too! Tubes & drop shots been working well.Â
Its National Fishing Week! Also License Free Fishing Week in Ontario. Great time to introduce someone new to fishing. To celebrate all regular priced Rods, reels, Combos & Tackle Boxes are 10% off all week * In Store Only*
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As well the St Catharines Game & Fish Assc. is having their virtual Kids Day Fishing Contest again all Summer long. Its a fun FREE way to add some excitement for the kids. All the details can be found at :Â Â https://scgfa.ca/kids-day/
Have a good week everyone.